The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 7:30 AM on Thursday, December 19, 2024 on State Road 60 and Boy Scout Camp Road in Lake Wales. Upon the arrival of first responders, they discovered the driver of a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, a 61-year-old male from Lake Wales, deceased. The driver of the second vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, received non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital by PCFR. Both were the only occupants of their vehicles.
Deputies closed both westbound and eastbound lanes of SR 60, the northbound lanes on Walk in Water Road, and the southbound lanes on Boy Scout Camp Road, diverting all traffic around the crash while PCSO Traffic Homicide detectives investigated the crash. These roads remained closed for approximately five hours. The Toyota truck was travelling southbound on Boy Scout Camp Road and pulled out onto SR 60 westbound, where it collided with the Jeep. The driver of the Jeep stated that when the truck pulled out in front of her, due to the weather conditions, she did not see it in time to brake or maneuver her vehicle to avoid a crash. Both cars came to a final stop in the eastbound lanes of SR 60, travelling over the median, after colliding. At this point in the investigation, PCSO Traffic Homicide detectives believe that the foggy morning weather was one of the contributors to the crash.
The investigation is still ongoing at this time.
